FYI on Alaska cruises in 2006

[Richard Stein]

FYI to HAL Cruiser this article was on page one of the 1/24/05 edition of Travel Weekly.
HEADLINE-HAL'S ZUIDERDAM TO SAIL ALASKA Story reads "Holland America's Zuiderdam is giving up it tradional spot in the Caribbean for Alaska during the summer of 2006 giving the line 3 vista class ships in Alaska and 8 ships overall.
I have sailed to Alaska twice on HAL and 7 times on the line. Thought you might want to know as some of us are booking 6 to 9 month ahead.

[jhannah]

With all the ships ... and many big ships at that ... sailing Alaska, at what point will the ports become maxed out and overcrowded?

[Budget Queen]

With all the ships ... and many big ships at that ... sailing Alaska, at what point will the ports become maxed out and overcrowded?


My opinion only, frankly they already are. Juneau gets over 10,000 passengers most days. It is extremely important to consider some great tours that are out of the way. Also strongly consider independent interior Alaska touring, never crowded but the cruisetours definately are with busload after busload. :(

[Krazy Kruizers]

For the last couple of years Alaska has been over-run with the big mega-ships - far more passengers than many of the ports can really handly easily. I know - we were there in 2003 - and a couple of the ports like Juneau were mobbed.

We were thinking about going back to Alaska in 2006 - now I don't know.